


How to Succeed at Flirting (While Really Trying)

by dontknowcats



Series: Inquisition, Int. [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Humor, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 15:36:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3815752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontknowcats/pseuds/dontknowcats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen asks Alistair for some flirting advice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to Succeed at Flirting (While Really Trying)

“’Did you sit on a pile of sugar? Because your ass is—‘ Alistair!”

“What? It’s worked plenty of times for me, I’m sure it would work on your CEO.”

Cullen groaned and scanned the rest of the pick-up lines on the sheet of paper in front of him. He had called Alistair for help only because he knew that he had somehow gotten a wonderful woman to marry him. Without any help, how was Cullen going to get Atheva to even look at him?

“’Are you from Tennessee?’ Are you serious?”

“How do you think I met my wife?” He asked with a wink and a grin before reaching across the table and snatching the paper from Cullen’s hands. “You don’t think she’ll like any of them?”

Cullen sighed loudly and looked around the meeting room they were sat in. It was still a good five minutes before Atheva would be able to join him, based on what her secretary had reported to him. It was during this time he hoped to discuss a personal situation with his old friend Alistair.

The two had met in college and had been rather good friends, but took their separate paths. Alistair had been taken into the company Grey Warden, Inc. while Cullen had gone on to work at a company that eventually failed. Luckily he was hired by Inquisition, Int. and quickly climbed the corporate ladder to Vice President.

“I don’t think she’s one for cheesy pickup lines. She’s rather professional and mature, so—“

“But only when you see her at work. How do you know she isn’t a fun-loving woman outside of the office building?” Alistair asked with a raise of an eyebrow and a knowing grin. “The president of a company has to be mature and professional, or else they could easily be tossed out onto their ass. With a lovely severance pay, of course.

“You’re already challenging the ideas of a professional relationship, so challenge her ideas about how stuffy you are. I know you. You’re _not_ stuffy.”

Cullen’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as he thought back to his college days. The two sat in silence for a few moments before the door opened behind him. Alistair pushed the paper back over to him and smiled at the new arrival.

“Ah, Miss Lavellan, how lovely it is to see you again!” Alistair said, standing up out of politeness.

“Please, call me Atheva. It’s been a while, Alistair.” She nodded to Cullen as she shut the door. Her heels were muffled upon the carpet, keeping her quiet as she walked to take the seat next to him. As she sat down, smoothing out her pencil skirt, Alistair peered over to his friend who was still pink in the cheeks.

“Atheva, if I may be so bold: Did you sit on a pile of sugar? Because your ass is sweet,” Alistair said with a wink and finger guns pointed to his subject. The grin that appeared on her face made him kick Cullen beneath the table, urging him to look at her.

Cullen’s jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

“If you weren’t married I’d swoon and take you out for a drink,” she replied with a chuckle.

“Ah, pesky fate. Always a bit of an ass.” He grinned at Cullen, wiggling his eyebrows when Atheva looked down to pull out some papers.

The meeting went without a hitch, the three easily reaching an end agreement to help a mutual client with a larger payout for both of them over the phone. Atheva and Cullen said their goodbyes to Alistair, shaking hands with the CEO and half-hugging his college friend.

As they watched him leave, Cullen noticed Atheva checking her watch. No one was around and his heart was pounding and he could feel the dreaded feeling of this being his only chance.

“Ah, Atheva!” He said before clearing his throat. His fingers tugged at his tie, as if it was growing tighter and tighter around his neck with each passing moment.

“Yes, Cullen?” Her head tilted slightly as she waited for him to speak and he could feel his stomach squeeze with nerves. Maker, she was beautiful. And the way her hair fell across her forehead. To get his head out of the clouds, he pulled the paper from where he had stashed it in his jacket pocket.

“U-Um…” He skimmed the list until he found the first one he thought she would really like. “Are those jeans from outer space? Cause I want to bang. Wait, no! Y-You’re not wearing jeans. I-I messed it up.” He glanced up nervously and gave a weak chuckle. “W-Want to bang because your ass is—This is awful, isn’t it?” He ended in a whisper, looking up from the paper to her.

She was smiling? Why was she smiling?

“Cullen, is there something you want to ask me?” She said before biting her lower lip. He could see the pink color coming to her cheeks, and realized that she was actually interested in her.

“Atheva would you… Would you like to go out for a drink tonight? O-Or whenever you’re free?” Cullen’s hand lifted to rest on the back of his neck, nervous for her answer even when she nodded her head.

“Tonight after work would be nice,” she murmured. “I should be done by five-thirty. How about dinner afterwards? I can get Josephine to get reservations somewhere nice.”

“Or we can go to a hole in the wall to avoid being recognized? Just because… since we’re both technically socialites and it would be bad for coworkers to be seen at more than a work dinner together. Alone.”

“There’s a grubby little pizza place on 5th, I’ll pay,” she assured him with a grin.

With that single grin, Cullen knew his world had been turned on its head. He was in love.


End file.
